How has OOH Evolved in the 21st Century?

We are two decades into the 21st century. Out of home advertising has seen a number of impressive changes along the way that has made this medium of advertising even more effective and efficient. As time went by – measuring the output of a campaign and usage of smart technology has made billboards more relevant and in demand!

Here are some of the most outstanding developments in OOH advertising that made it a go-to place for marketers:

OOH against the .com

Anyone would have guessed – the .com burst would have easily squeezed out the traditional media for advertising and marketers all over the world would turn to the new and trendy digital marketing media. But against all odds, the only traditional media that thrived despite the digital era is the OOH.

OOH against Social Media

20 years ago – no one know what the word ‘going viral’ was. Today Social media has made it possible to reach out to a large audience within a short time. Social media has become the world’s favourite pass time – and a marketer’s favourite tool. But, even then, when OOH is used along with Social Media – the results are unbelievable. Marketers still put up billboard ads and then share it on social media for extra mileage.

OOH and measurable

When digital ads provided marketers with insights and exact numbers to prove that the campaign was successful – or not, OOH has no means of doing so. Billboard buyers couldn’t be sure how many people saw their ads or how many took action. However, with technology advancements, now the ROI of an OOH campaign can be measured too!

Digital Billboards

Traditional billboards still stand tall, but digital billboards are now in. There were a number of arguments against these kinds of billboards – including some saying that it could distract the drivers and could cause potential harm. However, DOOH is now a thing and very much in demand!

Interactive Billboards

Interacting with an active audience makes digital advertising more promising than traditional billboards. However, with the advent of technologies like beacons, traditional billboards too get interactive capabilities – a mix with the digital world. With beacons, you can invite people in close proximity to a billboard to post a picture with their nearest ad on social media etc. Billboards could be interactive!

OOH and mobiles

While people spend most of their time on mobiles, they are most of the times outside – like waiting for a bus or train or waiting for a movie to begin. It makes sense to integrate mobile advertising with billboard advertising.

Smart billboards

Smart billboards brought about a big transformation in the advertising market. These billboards can be programmed to react to the weather or time of the day. These kinds of billboards can make a huge difference in advertising results.

Overall, OOH advertising has seen a major change and has evolved and has integrated seamlessly with the new and emerging media.